Cross-Cultural Problems in the Uae
Dealing With Cross-Cultural Differences at Workplace in the UAE
OR
Impact of Cross-Cultural Differences On Adjustment of Expatriate Employees in the Work Environment of the UAE
INTRODUCTION / LITERATURE REVIEW
The working environment in the UAE has seen huge changes in the last 25 years or so. The change has been introduced primarily by the opening up of multinational firms in the UAE. This has created job opportunities for expatriates, therefore bringing about a large diversity in the workplace with multitude of attitudes, cultures, etc. Managers who employed top positions 25 years ago would see a completely different work environment today. The way managers lead and treat employees has changed. In general, United Arab Emirates is perceived to be a considerably modern country as compared to the rest of the Middle East countries such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, etc. And therefore the workplace attitude is experiencing inclination towards a more westernized approach (Communicaid Group Ltd, 2009). This paper would give an insight into what major changes have overtaken he UAE’s job market since the overwhelming arrival of expatriate workers in the country and what pros and cons does this trend indicate, apart from learning the causes and its affect on the local culture.
A study conducted within the UAE by Paton and Behery in 2008 investigated the relationship between performance appraisal, culture and organizational outcomes. It revealed that if performance appraisal fairly reflected performance and value of organization, it does contribute towards increase employee motivation. According to their study, UAE culture is considered to be as that of uncertainty avoidance and a high power distance (Hofstede’s cultural dimensions). Western models seemed to have settled in well at the workplaces due to the presence of multinational enterprises that have been established in the country (Behery et al, 2008).
UAE has been a high cultured economy with
OR
Impact of Cross-Cultural Differences On Adjustment of Expatriate Employees in the Work Environment of the UAE
INTRODUCTION / LITERATURE REVIEW
The working environment in the UAE has seen huge changes in the last 25 years or so. The change has been introduced primarily by the opening up of multinational firms in the UAE. This has created job opportunities for expatriates, therefore bringing about a large diversity in the workplace with multitude of attitudes, cultures, etc. Managers who employed top positions 25 years ago would see a completely different work environment today. The way managers lead and treat employees has changed. In general, United Arab Emirates is perceived to be a considerably modern country as compared to the rest of the Middle East countries such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, etc. And therefore the workplace attitude is experiencing inclination towards a more westernized approach (Communicaid Group Ltd, 2009). This paper would give an insight into what major changes have overtaken he UAE’s job market since the overwhelming arrival of expatriate workers in the country and what pros and cons does this trend indicate, apart from learning the causes and its affect on the local culture.
A study conducted within the UAE by Paton and Behery in 2008 investigated the relationship between performance appraisal, culture and organizational outcomes. It revealed that if performance appraisal fairly reflected performance and value of organization, it does contribute towards increase employee motivation. According to their study, UAE culture is considered to be as that of uncertainty avoidance and a high power distance (Hofstede’s cultural dimensions). Western models seemed to have settled in well at the workplaces due to the presence of multinational enterprises that have been established in the country (Behery et al, 2008).
UAE has been a high cultured economy with
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